This semester in Communication Disorders 315 I was asked to set-up a weblog and complete several assignments. I have learned a lot by doing this work. The course had several objectives and I think that I have met these objectives through the work that I have completed this semester. The objectives of this course were:
Learner Outcomes: Conceptual
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of accessing relevant, pertinent, and credible information pertaining to their research question.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of analyzing web sites for credibility.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of critically analyzing information.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of evaluating information.
Learner Outcomes: Technical
- Students will prepare for and participate in class discussions and activities.
- Students will develop strategies for effectively planning and completing independent work (meeting both the letter and spirit of the work, not just the letter of the work) in a timely manner.
- Students will think practically (solve problems and make decisions) by thinking critically (analysis and evaluation) and thinking creatively (imagining and creating).
- Students will demonstrate the abilities to use the internet to collaborate (collaboration), to find and manage information (rich and interactive information), and as a vehicle for publication (self-expression).
- Students will demonstrate enhanced communication skills and strategies, using the discourse of the discipline, in both oral and written formats.
- Students will participate and collaborate, synchronously and asynchronously, in online professional communities (ASSOCIATE).
- Students will craft a researchable question (ASK).
- Students will gather relevant information concerning their research question (ACCESS).
- Students will critically analyze and evaluate web sites and information (ANALYZE).
- Students will publish their work online (ANNOUNCE).
- Students will demonstrate self-confident interdependence in electronic spaces and interactions.
Now that you are aware of the objectives of the course, I am going to discuss how I met these objectives by completing the coursework.
Learner Outcomes: Conceptual
When completing assignment A4.6: Evaluating Resources II, I evaluated a website entitled, Aphasia: Specific Syndromes (Nonfluent). This website contained information about Broca’s aphasia which is what I did my research on. To evaluate this website I used the John Hopkins Library Website that has a section on evaluating sources from the internet. I evaluated this source by considering the authorship of the website, the publishing body, point of view or bias, accuracy or variability of the information, and the currency of the website. By completing this assignment I was able to demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of accessing relevant, pertinent, and credible information pertaining to my research question. I even mentioned in the declarative knowledge section of my reflection for week 4 that, “I have learned to evaluate websites, in order to determine if they are reliable.”
By completing assignment A4.5: WWW-Evaluating Resources I, I learned how to analyze a web site for credibility. When doing this assignment I evaluated a website entitled Better Dog Food by using a form called the Purdue Worksheet. This worksheet included a section on accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage. I feel like this assignment helped me gain knowledge on how to evaluate information on the internet. As previously mentioned, I commented on learning how to determine if a website is reliable in my week 4 reflection.
When completing the A6.3 Internalizing Web Evaluations, I evaluated my own website at that particular point in time. To do this I had to critically analyze my website and evaluate the information on my website. To do this I thought back to my previous assignments evaluating other websites. I was also required to evaluate two of my groupmates genres every week and provide them with feedback. I really wanted to help them improve upon their work. In order to do this I had to evaluate their work and critically analyze it when giving helpful feedback. This was how I reached the objectives of demonstrating knowledge of the principles and methods of critically analyzing information and demonstrating knowledge of the principles and methods of evaluating information.
Learner Outcomes: Technical
To prepare for class I completed the weekly readings that were required. Every week we were asked to read about a new topic so that we could discuss it in class. A lot of these discussions occurred online at Tapped-In. I reflected on two of the meetings in assignments A6.4: Reflection on Discussion of 9/13/06 and A7.3: Reflection on Discussion 9/27/06. When reflecting on these discussions I commented on how I contributed to the discussion, what questions arose from the discussion, what questions were answered, and how I could apply what I learned from the reading and the discussion. In the week 6 reflection I made the comment, “I learned more about myself when chatting on tapped-in. By reviewing the conversation and reflecting, I thought about how I contributed and what I could have done to contribute even more. I also learned how to use the archives, which was very interesting.” By doing this I prepared for and participated in class discussions and activities.
Every week in this class I was assigned many assignments that needed to be completed by the next week. To complete all of my assignments I had to manage my time efficiently and carefully. One assignment in which I planned future work was my Project Prospectus. When doing this assignment I outlined my multi-genre research project. I decided what genres I was going to complete and whose prospective I was going to write each genre in. I also had to consider my audience when completing this assignment. When writing the reflection for week 6 I said, “A project prospectus helps you outline a project and determine the point that you want to make with the project. I think that this is a very good way to begin any project that you do.” I remember writing this because I really liked that this helped me organize my project. This was how I achieved the objective of effectively planning and completing independent work (meeting both the letter and spirit of the work, not just the letter of the work) in a timely manner.
When completing A13.4: SCAR Revisioning I had to think practically, critically, and creatively. When doing this assignment I had to review my own work and think about how I could improve upon the work that I had previously completed. I took my groupmates suggestions into consideration and improved upon my project. I had to be creative in my revisions and think critically about my work. In the reflection for week 13 I commented, “I think that learning the SCAR method will help me revise future work. I found this method to be very effective. It helped me make my work more cohesive and understandable.” This assignment helped me achieve the objective to think practically (solve problems and make decisions) by thinking critically (analyaia and evaluation) and thinking creatively (imagining and creating).
When meeting my group at Tapped-In we collaorated our ideas. In one conversation that we had we talked about our individual projects. In this conversation we all made suggestions on each others projects and collaborated on how the research questions of the projects could be improved. My thoughts and reflections on this conversation are found in A6.4: Reflection on Discussion of 9/13/06. Throughout the semester we were asked to research different types of digital literacies. We did several reflections on the different subtypes and one big reflection on digital literacy. I feel that through these assignments I found and managed information and used the internet to publish my findings. In A12.3: Digital Literacy I express what I have found through my research. This is how I met the objective of demonstrating the abilities to use the internet to collaborate (collaboration), to find and manage information (rich and interactive information), and as a vehicle for publication (self-expression). I also feel that my entire work on my multi-genre research project helped me reach this objective.
One of my assignments in this class was to meet with the professor and discuss my multi-genre research project. In this meeting we discussed my project prospectus which was revised after the meeting. During the meeting we talked about the project and what I wanted the reader to learn from the project. We discussed ways to make the work look more professional and exchanged ideas on how to improve the parts of the project that I had completed. After this meeting I revised my project prospectus. In my week 8 reflection I commented, “After meeting with Mrs. McComas I revised my prospectus. With her help I determined what questions I should ask in order for my audience to come to the conclusion that I wanted them to.” This is how I met the objective of demonstrating enhanced communication skills and strategies, using the discourse of the discipline, in both oral and written formats.
During the third week of this class we were asked to join an online community. In the reflection for that week I wrote, “While completing the weekly assignment I learned how to join a mailing list. I now know that when you make the request you must type exactly what the website tells you to in order to join it.” In A10.4: Online Communities I wrote about the community that I had joined and what I had learned from joining the community. I also felt like I was part of a community within this class because my groupmates helped me and I hope that I helped them as well. We formed our own little community encouraging each other and helping each other improve upon our work. This is how I met the objective of participating and collaborating, synchronously and asynchronously, in online professional communities (ASSOCIATE).
When completing A3.7: Research Question I crafted a research question. I did this by thinking about areas in the field of speech pathology that I would like to research. I then thought about what I would like to find out. This question was later revised and can be seen in my revised project prospectus. The research to this question can be found in my multi-genre research project. This is how I met the objective of crafting a researchable question (ASK).
I gathered information on my project by using the Marshall University Library website. I researched the databases within this website to obtain articles that were peer-reviewed and scholarly. I learned how to use these databases when our class met at the library. We were even assigned two library searches in the class but I chose to use the articles that I found in these searches because when I redeveloped my question I did not think that these sources were pertinent anymore. I also used Google to find credible websites that could be used in my project. All of the sources that I used can be found in my reference page. This is how I met the objective of gathering relevant information concerning my research question (ACCESS).
In assignments A4.5: WWW-Evaluating Resources I and A4.6: WWW-Evaluating Resources II I had to critically analyze two different websites and evaluate the information given. During the evaluation I looked at the information that the website gave, the author of the website, the currency of the website, and several other things. I also evaluated my own website using the same questions, in my self-evaluation. By doing the self-evaluation I came up with ideas to make my website better by using critical thinking. This is how I met the objective of critically analyzing and evaluating web sites and information.
Throughout this semester I have published my work on my weblog. I feel like my work is out there for the world to see. It has been a very interesting experience. I have learned a lot about my computer and the internet while completing this course. My weblog shows that I meet the objective of publishing my work online (ANNOUNCE).
This class has made me more confident in the digital age that we live in. I have gained so much knowledge through the various assignments in this class. I have learned how to Podcast and before this class I didn’t have the slightest idea what one was. All I knew was that I had an i-Pod and that maybe the two were related. I feel like I have branched out so much because I joined an online community. I am now even spending more leisure time on my computer because I feel more comfortable with it. I think through the writings on my weblog you can tell how confident I have become. This is how I met the objective of demonstrating self-conficent interdependence in electronic spaces and interactions.
